


Orbiter Dicta

by tincturedwords



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alien Abduction, Alien Biology, Alien Technology, Aliens, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood, Developing Friendships, Dubious Ethics, Eleventh Doctor & Amy Pond Friendship, Eleventh Doctor Era, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fever, Fever Dreams, Friendship, Gen, Hallucinations, Hiding Medical Issues, Hurt/Comfort, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Medical, Medical Experimentation, Mystery, Nurse Rory Williams, Poison, Poisoning, Post Episode: s05e07 Amy’s Choice, Pre-Episode: s05e08 The Hungry Earth, Revelations, Sick Character, The Doctor (Doctor Who) Whump, Trust Issues, Vomiting, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28887090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tincturedwords/pseuds/tincturedwords
Summary: Once captured one of the subjects is infected with the serum, then all notes must be recorded promptly during observations. Not just of the contaminated one’s symptoms and actions, but those of the others’ reactions. None must interfere in the natural progression of this experiment, observations only. None of the results may be tainted by an outside input.Or, when an average day goes horribly wrong for the Doctor, Amy, and Rory.
Relationships: Amy Pond/Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor & Amy Pond, Eleventh Doctor & Amy Pond & Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor & Rory Williams
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	Orbiter Dicta

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warnings:** ¡Spoilers! Descriptions of Poisoning , Descriptions of Sickness , Blood , Medical Settings , Medical Procedures , Medical Experimentations , Medical Devices , & Mild Language.  
>  **Timeline:** Set post s05e07 ( _Amy’s Choice_ ) , pre - s05e06 ( _The Hungry Earth_ )  
>  **Pairings:** Gen. Amy/Rory.  
>  **A/N:** Finally dipping my fingers into writing for the Doctor Who fandom ! Something I have been wanting to do ever since I began watching this show , just haven’t had a good idea for it until now. & I have played around with this idea for far longer than I had intended since it kept growing. It merely began as a want to explore the interactions between these three in some of their early adventures before _The Hungry Earth_ episode took Rory away for a bit. As well because we see such a dynamics shift between _Amy’s Choice_ & _Cold Blood_ for The Doctor & Rory. So yeah a bit of a detailed explanation as to why Rory goes from questioning / snapping at / being jealous of The Doctor to being willing to jump in front of him to save him without a second thought. Just filling in the gaps.  
> I have no beta thus all mistakes are mine.
> 
> * * *
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** I do not own any rights to Doctor Who. Nor am I associated with the BBC , the actors, the writers nor the creators of this magnificent series. This is all purely written for entertainment & I make absolutely no money off any of these stories.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” **– Corrie Ten Boom**

Waking to an incessant pounding within his head had the Doctor groaning before he could open his eyes. The blinding brightness that greeted him had him shutting them swiftly with a sharper noise of discomfort. His head aching all the more with the high fluorescent light. Shifting his weight to tip himself over to lay on his belly, another noise of discomfort left him as it appeared the flooring seemed to reflect the same white radiance that the room had. His cheek pressed against the cold metal of the floor was the only relief he felt, the coolness seeping some of the heat away from his face. 

A muffled, garbled sound came from his left. It drowned out by the ringing and whooshing in his ears that had yet to cease their continuous track through his head. Compounding upon the headache, but the sound came again and again. Louder and more persistent in gaining his attention with each turn. Causing the Doctor’s features to become pinched, eyes clenched closed right along with his jaw. A moment spared in attempting to dismiss all other sounds before reversing directions to focus only upon the intermittent one. Listening past the roar in his ears, he realised it was a voice. A single word called out by a pair of voices. Desperate and worried. 

“Doctor!” 

The word popped with startling clarity through the Doctor’s ears. Eliciting a sudden jerk from him, sitting up and twisting round towards the source of the call with a swiftness that rivalled even his more erratic of movements. A mistake it was though when the room before him swayed alarmingly and the light seared through his eyes right into his head, threatening to send him back to lying on the ground. He was forced to drop his head into his hands least his body be overwhelmed with the dizziness and do exactly that. 

The brightness of the room wasn’t helping him any, the fact the light seemed to shine off every surface simply compounded the misery. There being nowhere to look without catching the intense glare. Unable to draw much of anything into focus, the room merely held a sense of a never ending spanse. A plane of white that held no form. If it wasn’t for seeing the others, there would appear to be no dimensions at all. 

“Doctor?” 

This time there was only one voice, softly spoken and kind in tone. Soothing in a way the Doctor hadn’t expected. More used to a stronger inflection of said voice, nothing could temper the fire when it started, or so it felt as if it should have held. A fleeting sense of what it should be. He chased that feeling to a string of thoughts , leaping over into jumbled memories. It was a moment more until he recognised the accent attached to this voice, as well as the cadence of it.

_Amy!_

Raising a hand to shield his eyes, cupping his fingers together to ensure minimal light passed, the Doctor peeked open his eyes again. Vision bleary , flared white then creeping closer into focus , he attempted to glance towards where he thought Amy to be. And hopefully, Rory as well, seeing as he’d been travelling with them both. He had to have been the other voice the Doctor heard paired with Amy’s. 

Spying two forms , one at some distance with another not too far behind it. Neither were close enough to touch without moving , but barely six steps to the first then another set of so to the next. A few moments more his vision cleared enough for him to tell the two apart. The once blurred spots of colour amongst the white as Amy then Rory. Both of them were sitting up , but with the ghost of grimaces on their features and squinted eyes that had to matched his own expression. More than either however they stared at him with an open worry he’d never seen from either of his companions. 

Relief at seeing both humans looking relatively unharmed and near enough to see them momentarily distracted the Doctor from noticing their expressions. At noting it, he offered a broad smile to show he was all right. A reflexive action when dealing with worried companions. The effect was rather dimmed by his narrowed gaze that enhanced the lines of pain around his eyes and forehead. 

“You two all right?” The Doctor asked, diverting the attention from himself ( or so he had hoped ) and he was genuinely concerned over his two Human companions. 

Rory’s scoff was audible, whilst Amy snapped, “Us? You’re the one that was out longer than the both of us.” 

“Right. Well, whatever brought us here must affect Time Lords differently than Humans.” The Doctor inferred, adding at seeing the lingering look of concern and with a growing sense of truth as his headache receded, “Must have just put me out longer, but not to worry.” 

“Oh yes, we suddenly appear in a strange white room in various states of consciousness, but not to worry.” Rory’s tone was lathered in a dry sarcasm, one that had Amy whipping her head around to send a glare his way. 

“Ah yes, these bright white rooms.” The end syllables were drawn out a fraction longer than normal, carried by the motion of his head that glanced around the room then. 

Observing that the room was indeed entirely one colour, overtly polished and wiped clean. No doubt causing the reflective effect of the high powered lights that lined the ceiling, appearing to span from one wall to the next. The only way to define where the floor ended to meet a wall was by the thin creases of grey that lined the room on three sides and by spotting an equally shiny, monochromatic bench that sat along the back wall. It’s curvature noticeable even without the help of any cast shadow. 

Jumping to his feet, the Doctor raised an arm to dig in his coat pocket for his sonic screwdriver. Best start with the basics. However a sharp twinge from said arm had him pause. Giving the appendage an experimental motion again brought back the twinge. The Doctor shrugged off his coat in a quick flourish, the same pang sprang from his forearm, and he immediately noticed the still wet splotch of red along the sleeve. 

Blinking at the sight, more surprised at the presence of it than apprehensive, he tugged the sleeve up ( absently noting the wrist cuffs were unbuttoned and the cloth was in fact sheared all the way up to his elbow ) to reveal a metal device clamped through his arm. 

A small screen that appeared to be tracking his vitals lay along the top of his forearm, its readings fed to it by the cables attached to the square-shaped bolt that punctured the flesh just before his wrist and far below his elbow. The readings were upside down from the Doctor’s perspective, meaning it wasn’t a personal vital stats monitor, but one strictly for those doing the monitoring to read. 

“What is that?” Rory asked, the sudden silence and stillness from the other having caught both campanion’s attention. 

The Doctor heard Amy gasp sharply, she must finally have spied the device as well. It was a rather gruesome looking method for keeping an eye on a patient, spliced right through flesh and between bone. Scabbed over blood circled around where the shaft came through skin on either side and his whole forearm was dyed an orange-ish tint from whatever sterilisation fluid they had used. All around a rather barbaric and invasive apparatus. At least they had taken sanitation into account, whoever had stuck the contraption on him. 

“Erm. It’s a monitor.” The Doctor answered, gingerly turning his arm around at different angles to view it, “It’s tracking my vitals.” 

“They had to stick it through your arm for that?” Rory’s incredulous tone held an inkling of ire within it, clearly the lack of medical consent was just as bothering to the nurse. 

“Well, it’s not just a vitals tracker.” The Doctor explained, running a thumb over the tiny screen’s upside down readouts, “It’s well, it’s rather like a continual blood test and full body scan rolled into one. It’ll monitor my health down to the cellular level.” 

Silence followed his words for a handful of moments before Rory spoke up again, “What’s it saying?” 

The Doctor glanced over to Rory. The glass separating their cells was crystalline and translucent to the point that if it weren’t for the shine the harsh overhead lights placed upon it, they’d likely not think there was anything between the rooms. Thus it was easy for the Doctor to see the curious detachment that belayed any other emotions his newest companion may be harbouring. It was an expression of one used to handling medical aspects of any situation. One of calm yet intent. 

Rory was in a margin of his element when it came to this, the Doctor rationalised. Even if certain social interactions and those of alien occurrences left the other scrambling to catch up to him and Amy, Rory was accumulating rapidly for all his want of a normal life. And here, in instances like this, the Doctor was seeing that assertiveness that no doubt made Rory a good nurse. 

Having to suppress the urge to grin at the progress of his companion, the situation was hardly appropriate for it and it wasn’t as if the others would be privy to his train of thought, so with no time to explain all that, the Doctor merely glanced back down at his arm. Visually analysing the device again. 

“Uhm…” The Doctor attempted to twist around to better see the details of the display. 

Interrupted by a nematic hiss of pressurised doors , the Doctor whirled around to see two figures entering through a door that had once seamlessly blended with the wall. Light bright enough to mirror that in the rooms , it didn’t take much for his eyes to adjust and see that the humanoid shapes were donned in full decontamination suits. Ones designed to cover an entire body from head to toe, not even the sight mask allowed any trace of the being the suit protected to be seen through it. 

Their movements were fluid, if a touch robotic in their synchronisation and seemingly measured actions. Steps evenly spaced and frames held rigidly upright. The first one continued forward whilst the second halted to bend down and place a glass cup on the ground in front of the Doctor, who stood back with his fingers worrying back and forth along the palms of his hands. Seeming curious yet unsure. 

“Instruction: drink.” The first humanoid stood upright to step a few paces back next to its counterpart, then it pointed to the small glass that held a silvery looking liquid within it on the ground.

“No thanks. Not really thirsty at the moment.” The Doctor declined with a strained smile, aiming for politeness. 

“Instruction: drink.” Repeated the gowned humanoid, tone flat yet insistent. 

The Doctor’s brow furrowed now, gaze narrowed in befuddled consideration, “Why? Why do you want me to drink that?” 

“Instruction: drink.” The tone remained entirely devoid of emotion other than terseness, tightening the words despite their monotone delivery. 

“Going to have to decline again, thanks.” The Doctor reiterated, his own voice gaining an edge of hardness to it, although he strove to keep his body language non-threatening. Desiring to understand before he made judgments. 

The humanoid didn’t repeat itself, it simply remained completely stationary whilst another masked biped entered into Amy’s cell. It was clad in exactly the same attire as the first, except this one came brandishing something that resembled an extended cattle prod. The end of it sparking for a handful of seconds before laying dormant once more, but it was angled threateningly towards where Amy stood. Her attempts to scoot away from it had the being stepping closer to keep her within striking distance.

Rory leapt to his feet, striding towards the glass wall that divided their cells. The Doctor too was on his feet now, but when the masked figure in his own cell twitched, he paused. Both males were glaring at these beings now, figuring this wasn’t a mere misunderstanding or accident. These ones meant to impose their will on them and cause harm if it wasn’t followed through.

“Instruction: drink.” The first humanoid ordered again, before either the Doctor or Rory could make any demands. 

“Why? What do you want?” Asked the Doctor, a greater urgency slid within his voice, placating as it was imploring. 

“Inquiry heard.” Said the second one, it too was monotoned, “Answer: to administer the TSK26-C.” 

“Instruction: drink.” The first one repeated then, pointed towards the cup again. 

The Doctor stepped back half a measure, features wary, “Why do you need to administer it? Perhaps I can help. What’s the matter?” 

A blip of silence followed, no movement came from either of the unknown beings before the first spoke up, “Inquiry heard. Answer: we administer because it is what we are instructed to do. Statement heard. Reply: that has yet to be seen. Inquiry heard. Answer: you will not drink the TSK26-C.” 

With a finality to it’s stride, the third wholly masked humanoid stepped closer to Amy. Flicking the prod it extended and sparked to life at the end. The charge flaring bright then settling to an angry buzz at the tip, the whole staff seeming to illuminate from it. The being angled it backwards with a fluidity that belayed their previous stilted movements, to gain momentum for a forward swing. It’s aim direct for Amy that much was clear. She flinched away, her arms coming up to cover her face in preparation for the blow, whilst Rory slammed his hand against the glass separating their cells with an angry shout. 

“Okay, okay!” The Doctor’s initial yell exceeded all other noise, it tampered down to a conceding tone when the room quieted with him, “Okay.” 

He spread his hands out in a palacting gesture, gaze an odd mix of wide eyed worried and weary uncertainty, but it remained riveted on their captors despite Amy’s protest at what he was about to do, “I’ll drink it. I will. I’ll drink it, just don’t hurt her.” 

Bending down, the Doctor snatched up the cup. It couldn't have held more than five ounces of liquid. He only hoped these beings would leave his companions be when he complied, that there was no trick to be had. And that he would still be himself enough to return them home, or at the very least get them to the TARDIS so emergency protocol one could take them in his place. They had a wedding to get to afterall. They’re own. Can’t be late for something like that. How rubbish would that be? 

“Doctor no!” Came the angry cry from his left, beyond the focus of his vision, “I can take a little shock! Don’t do this! We don’t know what that will do to you!” 

Ignoring the continued shouts from Amy, the Doctor sniffed at it as he brought it to his lips. Grimace already firmly in place at the mere smell of it, he tipped it back to swallow its contents in one go. A cough forced its way up at the harsh metallic twang that coated his tongue and the brain-freeze-worthy cold that chilled all the way down his oesophagus to his stomach. 

It left him sputtering and gasping against the odd sensation, never had he drank anything that went down that strangely before. A cold prickling paraesthesia was spreading down his throat and throughout his chest now. Distracted thus by the odd feeling, Doctor was blindsided by the second masked humanoid. It having flicked out an unlight electric prod from it’s wrist to whip him across the face with it. 

“Doctor!” Amy screamed, Rory’s voice joining hers in a tandem outcry against the creature’s actions, unable to do anything as the Time Lord crumpled to the floor unconscious. 

“Why would you do that? He did exactly what you wanted! You didn’t have to do that!” Amy yelled, running towards the glass divider that her cell shared with the Doctor’s to bang on its surface, “Why would you do that to him!”

Baton retracting once more the masked humanoid began to retreat from the Doctor’s cell, seemingly unhearing of Amy’s fury. The one in her cell mirrored the other’s movements shortly after. It’s baton too melding with his arm as it walked outside. The seamless doors breaking apart with a glowing highlight of its shape to let the being out, resealing shut behind it. Once again appearing as a flat surface. 

“Inquires heard. Justification: to ensure the TSK26-C is absorbed.” The first being that had entered the Doctor’s cell had remained unmoved and tone completely monotone, “Justification: to observe.” 

_TBC._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** There is the first bit ! I apologise for the bit of a cliff hanger here , it just felt like a good place to break between chapters. 
> 
> Now if you’d please be so kind as to comment or tap the kudos button , that’d be wonderful ! I’d love to know what you thought , whether it’s merely ‘i liked this’ or ‘i didn’t like it’ , or a reaction , or constructive criticism , whatever it may be I’d love to hear from you. But if you’re simply here to read then that’s wonderful as well , I hope you enjoyed reading !


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